1 solations which they afforded that these Oriental systems made such way in the early Roman Empire. "This," he says, "is the explanation of the singular attraction which, about the beginning of the Christian era, drew the populations of the heathen world to the religions of the East. These religions had in them something deeper than those of Greece and Rome: they addressed themselves more fully to the religious sentiment.” And of Mithraism, which he considers to have had most prevalence, he goes on to say: "If Christianity had not carried the day, Mithraism would have become the religion of the world. It had its mysterious meetings. . . . It forged a very lasting bond of brotherhood between its initiates: it had a Eucharist-a Supper like the Christian mysteries." 2 And elsewhere 3 he adds, "the Greek 'Eranoi' or 'Thiasoi' of Athens, Rhodes, of the islands of the Archipelago had been excellent societies for mutual help, credit, assurance in case of fire, piety, 1 Hibbert Lectures, p. 33. 2 But cf. Justin M., Apol. i. 66: "The same thing in the mysteries of Mithra also the evil demons imitated and commanded to be done, for bread and a cup of water are placed in the mystic rites for one who is to be initiated." And cf. supra Pref. Les Apôtres, p. 188 (Eng. trans.). honest pleasures. . . . If there still remained in the Greek world a little love, pity, religious morality, it was due to the liberty of such private religions." When we turn to examine the evidence on which these somewhat exalted claims rest, it appears to be very scanty; and as regards the moral tone of these religious associations they seem to depend on the interpretation of a few inscriptions, of which one or two of those to which M. Renan refers may be taken as examples. The first is an inscription of the Imperial epoch, the important part of which runs as follows:— Νόμος ἐραν[ισ]τῶν. Μη]δενὶ ἐξέστω ἐπ[ιέ]ναι εἰς τὴν σεμνοτάτην σύνοδον τῶν ἐρανιστῶν πρὶν ἄν δοκιμασθῇ εἰ ἔστιν ἁ[γν]ὸς καὶ εὐσεβὴς καὶ ἀγ[αθ]ός δοκιμαζέτω δε ὁ προστατὴς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερανιστὴς καὶ ὁ γραμματεὺς καὶ οἱ ταμίαι καὶ σύνδικοι.1 This is referred to by M. Renan 2 in the above passage in proof of the holiness, piety, and goodness of the members of these religious associations. But, as has been well shown by M. Foucart, ayalòs 1 Fourmont, Corpus Inscrr. Gr., No. 126. 2 And Dr Hatch, Bampton Lectures, p. 31 (second edition), seems to agree with him. is a mere commonplace epithet in laudatory inscriptions used of any benefactor; while evσeßès is never used in such documents in the modern sense of piety; and ayıos is a mere conjecture in place of the more probable reading ȧyvós, which exactly fits in with the customary requirements previous to the initiation, viz., the offering of sacrifice, and the merely external purity of temporary abstinence from certain enjoyments.1 Indeed, Plutarch2 aptly describes the purificatory rites of such associations as aκálаρтоι καθαρμοί. The rest of M. Renan's description of the highly moral character of these confraternities seems to be based on an article by M. Wescher in the Revue Théologique, in which he speaks of the principle of these associations being liberty, their object the moral and material elevation of mankind; and maintains that their common chest was intended to furnish advances to necessitous members. On examination this statement appears to rest partly on the above inscription, partly on another 1 Cf. Liebenam, Geschichte der Romischen Vereinswesen, p. 171 n., and Foucart, Des Associations Religieuses, pp. 146 and 202. 2 Plutarch, De Superstitione (chaps. iii., xii. and xiii). Cf. Liv., xxxix. 9. 3 For 1865, ii. pp. 220 and 226. |